Wichita eagle., 1887-07-19
LITTLE RUTH.

know | was selfish old idiot now Wher
L look around me and see the mercies giver
me in my helpless old age, feel the warm Low,
around me on all sides, and realize the desc
Iatlon my own hand reached forth TO grasp
but was blind to future in those DAYS wher
L so nearly wrecked all its happiness.
This was how it happened After Martha
dled-my wife, l mean, with whom forty
happy years of my life were spent-and all
my children were dead or married, excepting
Ruth, there fell upon me the heavy misfor
tune that has chained me to this chair or my
bed for fifteen weary years. 1 had been q
hard working man allmy life-a wheelwright
by trade-with a large family to rear, tc
clothe, to feel to educate, and, ah mel one
by one to bury in the old churchyard, till
only Mary, James and Ruth, our baby, were
left to me. Mary married and went with
her husband to the far west. James took
his small fortune of few hard earned dol
lars and left us for the golden land of prom
Use, California, and only little Ruth was left
US. Then the angel of death came for
Martha, and only six months later 1 was
stricken helpless with paralysis.
l am reconciled now TO my hard fate, and
can sit here happily, glad that my eyesight is
still good, my right hand free and that have
learned in my old age to love books, to enjoy
reading and even writing, as l never did in
the hard working days of my youth. But in
those first months of helplessness when even
to toss and turn in my nervous torture was
denied me- my sufferings were simply horri-
BILE. No agony Of pain nor torture of flesh
or bone could equal the dreadful pressure
upon my strong limbs that held them motion
less, dead, in spite of my efforts to move
them one little inch. l have tainted with the
frightful efforts l have made just to lift once
the feet that had carried me miles in a day
with unwearied ease
But even in that time of rebeliious muir
muring, of bittereSt repining, there was some
consolation. First, there was the house and
five acres of land, my very own, free of debt
or mortgage, and a small sum in the bank,
the interest OF which lifted us above actual
want Then had Ruth.
She was just 20 when her mother died, and
Others besides her father thought her face the
fairest one for miles around. She had the
bluest eyes, like the little patches of summer
sky, and hair that was the color of corn silk,
and nestled in little baby curls all over her
head-rebellious hair that would not lie
straight under any coaxing, but kinked up
in tangles that were full of sunlight Her
skin was white milk, with cheeks like
the heart of blush rose, and her smile
showed the pcettiest rows of pearly teeth /
ever saw.
She coaxed me from my wicked repinings
by coming to me for directions, making me
feel that my head was still needed to direct
work, though my feet would nevermore
carry me over the doorsill Then she fitted
up for me a large back room that over
looked most OF the farm, and had Silas, our
head man, lift me up every morning and put
me in a deep cushioned chair by the window,
where l could see the barn, the poultry yard,
the well and the fields of waving corn and
wheat She made me feel myself of import
ance by giving me thus the master eye over
my own little domain; and she brought up
her own meals to eat with me in the room
where my infrmity held me prisoner
You must understand what Ruth was to
me or you viii never understand tho simple
story | have set myself to telling You. She
taught me to use my right hand without the
left; and If you want to appreciate the diff
ficulty, tie your left arm down for one single
hour and try Low often it will unconsciously
strain at the cords. She brought me books
from the village library and opened to my
old eyes and brain a field of pleasure never
before explored. | had read my Bible and
the newspaper all my life; but | never even
knew the names of books now my greatest
treasures, till Ruth thought reading would
be company" for me. Little Ruth, even she
does not know the world she peopled for me
in her loving care for my loneliness.
When she was busy about her homework,
her baking, her washing and ironing, she left
all the doors standing open that | might still
hear her CHEEKY voice as she sang or talked TO
me. Then, when all her work was done, she
would put clean white apron over her black
dress and sit close beside me, stitching busily
on the household linen, while | read aloud
whatever had most pleased me in my morn
ing studies
She devised little dainty dishes to tempt me
to eat: she put SaucerS of flowers on my table,
that l might cheat myself into fancying was
out doors, as their perfume crept out on the
air; she assured me, petted me, loved me, till
even my misfortunes seemed blessings draw
ing US near together.
And when she was all the world to me, all
that saved me from misery, John HAYES
asked me to give him Ruth for his wife. i
could have struck him dead when he stood be
fore me, a young giant in strength, with his
handsome sunburnt face glowing with
health, and wanted to take away my one
blessing, my only home child
Il will be true son to you, Mr. Martini"
he said, earnestly. Il VIII never take Ruth
from here; but let me come and share her life
and lift some of the burdens from her
shoulders.
laughed bitterly. l knew well what such
sharing would be when Ruth had a husband,
and perhaps children, to take her time and
her love from me- But was not harsh. l
did not turn this suitor from my house and
bid him never speak to Ruth again, much as
longed to do it. l worked more cautiously.
let him go from me to Ruth; and when be
left her and she came to me, all rosy blushes,
to tell me, with dropping lids and moist eyes,
of her new happiness, worked upon her love
and her sense of duty till she believed herself q
monster Of ungrateful wickedneSS to think of
leaving NE or taking any divided duty upon
her hands.
west, asking her il she could face her
dead mother after deserving her helpless
father. l pointed out TO her the unceasing
round OF wifely duty that would keep her
from my side, and proved to her that the
duties of child and wife N ust clash, If under
taken under such circumstances as were pre-
posed.
The loving, tender heart yielded to me, and
John was tearfully dismissed. Through the
warm autumn months, when the corn ripened
and was gathered-when our crops were
blessed and the little bank fund was increased
by the price of the farm produce-Ruth grew
Quiet and subdued. She was pot sad